This invention relates to a facsimile system, and specifically to a facsimile system capable of embodying an auto-answering function by coupling an auto-answering machine therewith
Generally, a facsimile system (hereinafter referred to as FAX) is connected to a telephone line, and able to transmit or receive an image data by using the FAX, while voice signals are transmitted or received through the telephone line. Operating modes of the FAX may be either a manual receiving mode or auto-receiving mode. In the manual receiving mode, by executing an off-hook operation for the telephone hand-set a communication path is set up, and the FAX is driven by turning "ON" the receive-mode switch device to receive the image data transmitted from the calling station FAX. On the other hand, in the auto-receiving mode, the communication path is already established and the system is switched to automatically drive the FAX.
Therefore, when the FAX operates in the auto-receiving mode, the telephone line merely performs the function of setting up the communication path for the FAX. This means that the voice communication path through the telephone line cannot be established when the calling station is an ordinary telephone subscriber. Therefore, the FAX and telephone functions cannot be implemented at the same time. To implement the FAX and telephone functions simultaneously, an auto-answering function, which is conventionally implemented using a semiconductor memory, must be added.
FIG. 1 is a prior system block diagram of the voice answering function of the FAX, using a semiconductor memory device. The recording procedures for the voice information will be described first hereinafter. The control unit 101 of the FAX drives the voice synthesizer IC (VOS) 104 by a command from a keyboard, not shown here, to record the voice signal transmitted through a microphone means 102. The voice synthesizer IC 104 converts the analog voice signal generated from the microphone 102 to a digital signal, and applies it to a semiconductor memory 106 through a buffer means 105 for storage. For replaying the stored voice signal, the above-mentioned procedure should be executed in reverse order, and the voice information signal previously stored will be output through a loudspeaker means 103 or a telephone speaker. On the other hand, when the voice signal is stored in the semiconductor memory 106 by the above-mentioned auto-answering technique, the stored quantity or a recording time for the voice signal is restricted.
When the memory is full, the auto-answering function can be implemented only after resetting the system. If both the auto-receiving mode and the auto-answering mode are established at the same time, the FAX executes the auto-answering mode first, and after completing this function, the auto-receiving function will be performed. Therefore, the time required for the auto-answering mode cannot be reduced. Moreover, the voice quality is not high, since the auto-answering function is performed by using a semiconductor memory, and additional circuits are further required to drive the semiconductor memory device.